Living Legacy
by YamiChaos27
Summary: A ronin travels to the Olympus Coliseum and enters a tournament to test his strength. He did not know that he would get more than he bargained for when two cloaked warriors enter the same tournament. Oneshot. Takes place in Kristen Verne's KH Universe. EDIT: Canon to the original version of Final Stand, but not the rewrite.
**A/N: Yet another oneshot based on Kristen Verne's KH universe.** **This oneshot idea has been stuck in my head for a while, and I finally got it out. Last oneshot was starring Kris's OC, Kaname. But this time, it's starring my OC, Sasuke.**

 **To be clear, this oneshot takes place during Kris's story _Kingdom Heart 3: Final Stand_. You can probably figure out when as you read.**

 **Also be sure to read my other oneshot, _A Warriors Last Stand_ , my ongoing spinoff story, _Moonlit Knights_ , and our collab story, _Radiant Garden Renegades_ , all of which take place in Kris's KH universe.**

 **With that said, please enjoy!**

 **Kingdom Hearts © to Disney and Square Enix.**

 **Sasuke, Yamato, and Momo Kazekiri © to me.**

 **Kaname and Rimi Mae, Orochi, Hachirou, Gorou, and Hanako © to Kris.**

* * *

 **Living Legacy**

* * *

The town of Thebes. Once a city of turmoil. Until they received the protection of the greatest hero of them all, Hercules, the mortal son of the king of the Greek gods, Zeus. The citizens worshipped their savior, and many warriors have wanted to challenge him.

One such warrior was a visitor from another world. A young man with black neck-length hair, green eyes and a scar at the right eye, and wore silver chest armor over a black sleeveless shirt, a bandage glove on his right arm and a steel gauntlet on his left, black pant with red straps crossing around his hips, bronze shin guards over black boots, and a bright green scarf around his neck. Strapped to his back was a wide bladed Katana, christened Moon Cutter. The man's name was Sasuke Kazekiri. A former apprentice swordsman of Radiant Garden, now a self-proclaimed ronin who has spent more then ten years traveling to other worlds to expand his training. He had gone on many adventures over the years, and has trained very hard. And right now he was looking to test how far he has come.

Sasuke stood in front of the giant statue of the hero himself. He heard so much about Hercules from the locals, and he was very intrigued. _If what they say is_ _true,_ he thought, _I wouldn't mind taking him on sometime._

He continued down the street he was walking on, until he came across a poster on the wall. The poster told of a tournament that was going on in the Olympus Coliseum. _"Do you have the guts to take on Hercules? Then sign up for the Ares Cup. Fight your way through monsters and contestants, and earn your chance to face the champ himself!"_

Sasuke smirked at this opportunity. "Looks like I came at the perfect time," he said to himself. "I hadn't had a good fight in a while. What better time than now to test my metal against a legend?" With that he hurried over to the coliseum to sign himself up.

Little did he know, there were two figures wearing dark cloaks watching him leave at that very moment.

"That sword," one spoke. "Is that...?"

"I see," said the other one. "It seems that fortune is smiling on us, especially you. It looks like you finally have a chance to meet him."

* * *

Sasuke walked into the coliseum, admiring the architecture. He looked around the courtyard and saw a young man with spiky blonde hair practicing with his large sword. It took a minute for Sasuke to recognize the man as a fellow soldier-in-training back before the fall of Radiant Garden. He approached him and said, "Cloud? Is that you?"

The blond swordsman turned to his black-haired counterpart with a blank expression. After a minute of silence, he finally spoke. "Sasuke Kazekiri. It's been a long time."

"No kidding! It's been like, what, eleven or twelve years, give or take? I was beginning to think I wasn't ever going see a familiar face. How have you been?"

"As of recently, I've been doing pretty well." Cloud hooked his sword to the holster on his back. "Though I can't say the same for after the invasion."

"What happened?"

Cloud looked down. "During the invasion, I tried to exploit the power of darkness. But it backfired. I fell into darkness, and I couldn't find the light. My darkness then drew the attention of a man named Sephiroth. He placed a curse on me that allowed him to fed off my darkness, making him stronger, and in turn fill my heart with nightmares. I spent years hunting down Sephiroth, convinced that once I destroy him, my nightmare would end and the darkness would go away. But as it turned out, it wasn't that simple. It seemed that no matter how many times I took him down, my darkness kept calling him back." He then smirked. "Turns out what I had been doing wrong was trying to defeat him alone, and avoiding everybody else in my pursuit. However, it was my friend, Tifa, who helped restore my light and allowed me to take him down for good."

Sasuke had listened intently. Gave him a concerned look at first but then gave a soft smile at the end. "That's quite the story. Glad you came out of that alright."

"Yeah. Although, lately I've been hearing rumors about three individuals who call themselves Remnants of Sephiroth. I've been looking for more information about them. If they truly are a part of him, then it seems my job is not over yet."

Sasuke patted his old sparring partner's shoulder. "Well, I doubt a few knock-offs will give you as much trouble."

"So what about you?"

Sasuke sighed. "Master Kaname was killed during the invasion, and my best friends were nowhere to be found, and soon after I found myself on a different world entirely. At first I was wreck, but I met some people who helped me move on. I've been traveling to other worlds, training myself to become the great warrior my master would've wanted me to be. While at the same time, hoping to run into my lost friends."

Cloud crossed his arms. "I take it you haven't been back to Radiant Garden since then." Sasuke shook his head. "Just to let you know. Our home is no longer in ruins. A Restoration Committee has been working hard to restore it. And Lord Ansem the Wise has just recently returned and taking charge."

"Really?" Sasuke couldn't help but smile at the news. "That's great to hear."

"If you want, you could return and request to become a full fledged guard. If you have improved a lot since the old days, I'm sure His Lordship will let you in without a second thought."

The black haired swordsman looked up at the sky. "I don't know. I wasn't much help during the invasion. Can I really face everyone?"

The blond sighed. "You sound like Squall, or Leon as he's been going by lately. He took the fall of our home so hard that to this day he refuses to use his real name until the world is fully restored."

"That bad huh? Well even so, I wouldn't feel right returning home until I know the man responsible for its destruction is brought to justice."

"You mean Xehanort, right?"

"So you know?"

"Everyone in Radiant Garden knows by now. As a matter of fact, I was told that there's a big team of Keyblade wielders that are hunting him down as we speak." The blond swordsman smirked. "And if I know their leader, I have full confidence they will succeed. So, I wouldn't worry too much."

Sasuke sighed in relief. "Glad I'm not the only one looking for him. But just in case, I should continue my search."

Cloud nodded. "Do as you please. So what brings you here?"

"I was actually about to enter the tournament that's going on." Sasuke punched his fist into his palm. "I wanted to try my hand at this Hercules everyone's been talking about."

"Is that so?" Cloud smirked again. "We'll he's not gonna go down very easily."

"Hey! I'd be disappointed if he did. Besides, whether I win or lose, I just want to see how far I've come, and taking on a living legend is the perfect way to do it."

"Spoken like true swordsman. I was actually considering honing my skills by entering the tournament myself. You know, teams are allowed in the games."

"Really? Then maybe we could enter together. It'll be like old times."

"Sure, why not?"

The two swordsmen then head into the lobby to sign up.

* * *

Sasuke and Cloud entered the Ares Cup. The two were doing very well against swarms of Heartless. They had just finished their previous match and were walking out of the arena, when two figures shrouded in black cloaks soaked in blood on the bottom walked the opposite direction. Sasuke couldn't help but look at the hooded men, and they both seemed to look back at him.

Sasuke's sixth sense has improved over the years. It's come to the point that his instincts were comparable to his master's. So when the two cloaked ones passed by, Sasuke sensed an eerie vibe coming from them. Something about them did not feel normal. Then he look at the weapons they were carrying. One of them was a wide-bladed katana, much like his own Moon Cutter, except the sword in its entirety was pitch black. The other's however was what really got his attention. A long katana with a red scabbard. This sword, however, looked identical to a sword he knew all too well.

"What's wrong?" Cloud asked, noticing his old sparring partner pausing to stare at the two figures.

"Those two competitors..." Sasuke answered. "Somethings not right about them. I think we should check them out."

They then went to the stands to watch them in mysterious swordsmen's match. The two were really tearing up the place. Sasuke paid close attention to their fighting styles, mainly the one with the long katana. There was no mistaking the figure's style. _That sword, and that style..._ he thought. _It's impossible!_

* * *

The two former apprentice swordsmen were walking into the courtyard when Cloud suddenly pulled Sasuke behind a pillar. Seeing that Cloud appeared to be hiding, Sasuke took a peek around the pillar to see a creepy looking being with blue skin, a black robe, and seemed to have blue fire for hair.

"Who's that?" asked Sasuke.

"That would be Hades," answered Cloud, "God of the Underworld, Lord of the Dead."

"That explains how unsettling he is, both in his looks and in his mere presence."

"He's also an expert swindler."

"How so?"

"He has a tendency to strike deals with others to get what he wants, sometimes tricking them into doing his bidding." Cloud clenched his fist. "I speak from experience when I say you do not wanna get involved with him."

Soon, the two cloak swordsmen from before walked into the courtyard and approached Hades.

"Alright, let's go over this one more time?" the death god said. "State your crime, prisoners."

"We each left someone behind," the man with the wide katana said. "That is our crime. It is inexcusable."

"Oh, not bad!" Hades said with delight. "So you guys made a big mistake... you left someone behind. But hey, I'm a forgiving guy. All you have to do to earn your freedom is complete one little task for me."

"Defeat the two individuals you told us about," said the one with the long katana, in a voice Sasuke recognized.

"Correct. I want you send the Keyboy and his little Cherrytart to the Underworld with me via ripping their souls from their bodies. Once that is done, I will undo the shackles that bind you to the dead, and I'll bring your wives back to life along with you. Are we clear?"

"We are clear, Hades."

"Good! Now, go and complete your field test. I want to make sure you two are up to the task before they return."

With that the Lord of the Dead disappeared in a burst of black smoke. The cloaked swordsmen than left the courtyard.

"That's explains the eerie vibe I've been sensing around those swordsmen," Sasuke said coming out from behind the pillar. "They're not from among the living."

"So Hades brought them back from dead," stated Cloud. "And if they complete the task he's given them, he'll let them stay alive."

"That's what it sounds like." Sasuke couldn't help but think about that man with the familiar sword. _So it really is possible that man is..._ He shook his head, not wanting to think about that right now. He'll cross that bridge in the games. "I wonder who those people he wants them to kill are."

Cloud put his hand on his chin in thought. "I don't know who 'Cherrytart' is, but I've got a pretty good idea who 'Keyboy' is."

"Who?"

"A Keyblade wielder. A kid named Sora. He has interfered with Hades' plans on more than one occasion. Hades has always been a sore loser."

"Sore loser sounds like an understatement," the black haired swordsman scoffed. "More like a revenge seeking whack job."

"If Sora is the one he's targeting, then that raises the question as to how strong those men are."

"What can you tell me about this Sora?"

"When I first met him, he was an amateur with his Keyblade." The blond smirked. "But for an amateur, he did seem to know how to use a sword. Must have been self-taught; swung a toy sword around all his life without a proper instructor. I wouldn't go as far as to call him a prodigy, but he has proven multiple times that he's stronger than he appears. If there's one thing he's always had going for him, it's his shear willpower. The rumor is that he draws his strength from his companions. He's not the kind of kid to go down so easily."

Sasuke was pretty intrigued. "He sure does sound pretty strong."

"He's even held his own against Sephiroth. And he has defended the worlds from Xehanort's threats multiple times. I've been told that he's the one leading the Keyblade wielders hunting him down. Believe me when I say that if anyone can put an end to Xehanort, Sora can."

"I sure hope your right about that." Sasuke smirked. "Well, I wouldn't mind sparring with him someday. Maybe even teach him a thing or two."

Cloud shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe you'll get your chance."

* * *

The two cloaked swordsmen stood in the stands, watching Sasuke and Cloud slicing up Heartless one by one.

"You sure you want to fight him?" asked the one with the long katana.

"I may not be fond of our circumstances," said the one with the black katana. "However, I must see firsthand if he truly lives up to the legacy."

The first one gave a sad chuckle. "You have a lot of nerve, you know that? Under the same circumstances, I doubt I'll be able to raise my sword against my own daughter. Still, I can't help but agree with you. I too would like to see how far he has come in his training."

"In that case, I'll let you have first dibs, seeing how you know him better than I do."

"Fair enough."

* * *

The final match was here. The winner of this round would earn the chance to fight Hercules. Sasuke and Cloud stood in front of their opponents, the mysterious cloaked swordsmen. They all had their swords out and the crowd was cheering.

Sasuke took a step forward and said, "Before we begin, I have a question for the one who holds Dawn's Might."

As if to answer his question before he could ask, the figure with the long katana stepped forward and removed its hood, revealing a man with short auburn hair, and violet eyes. Sasuke recognized him instantly; it was just as he suspected. It _was_ him.

Cloud was shocked at what he saw. "Wait a minute! Isn't that... Sir Kaname Mae?"

"It's been a long time, Sasuke," said the man identified as Kaname. "You too, Cloud."

"Master Kaname." replied Sasuke in a somber tone. "I c-can't believe it's really you."

Kaname gave a sad smiled, "You sure have grown since the last time I saw you, my apprentice. I assume you've been training hard."

"I have. There's...so much I want to tell you."

"And I you. But I'm afraid that'll have to wait. We have a tournament to finish." The master pointed his sword, Dawn's Might, at his apprentice, giving him a serious expression. "Sasuke. Show me the fruits of your training."

Sasuke was hesitant at first, but seeing the serious Kaname was, and how they go way back, he decided to obey. "Yes, master." He readied his own sword, Moon Cutter, as he said, "I'll show you how strong I've become!" He turned to Cloud. "Think you can handle his teammate?"

Cloud recovered from his shock and could see that the teacher and student were adamant about fighting each other, and wasn't about to argue. "Fine by me, seeing how you two clearly have a lot of catching up to do."

With that both sides clashed swords, Sasuke against Kaname and Cloud against the other swordsman.

Sasuke went on the offensive, while Kaname held his ground. The master and student locked blades with each other, before Kaname shoved Sasuke away. Kaname then started energy into his sword and Sasuke mirrored his action. The two then swing their sword simultaneously, shouting, " **Sonic Wave!** " and they each launched a wave of energy from their blades, which collided with each other exploding on impact.

Sasuke quickly reached into the travel pack on his belt and pull out a Blue Fang. He pointed the fang at his master and a gust of ice shot out of it. Kaname leapt to the side, avoiding the blizzard. Kaname took a second to look at the frozen patch on the ground. _Interesting,_ he thought. _Using fang imbued with elemental magic to cover his weakness in that area. Very resourceful._

The two then clashed some more, with Sasuke building up energy into his sword with each clash. When they lock blades again, Moon Cutter glowed a red light as Sasuke shouted, " **Counter Cutter!** " shoving Kaname back.

But Kaname quickly recovered and leapt toward his apprentice, focusing energy into his sword. Sasuke quickly pulled out a White Fang and jabbed it onto his sword, making it glow green and imbuing it with lightning magic.

" **Shadowbreaker!** " Kaname shouted as he perform three spinning slashes. The first one was imbued with dark energy, which Sasuke dodged. The second one was imbued with light energy, which was also dodged. And the last one channeled both dark and light energies.

" **Thunderblade!** " Sasuke met the last slash with his own lightning infused sword, creating an explosion that blew both swordsman away.

 _Impressive,_ Kaname thought. _I didn't think Moon Cutter could absorb magic like that._

The two fought on with more clashing, more Sonic Waves, more energy filled swords. It dragged on until Kaname paused for a moment. "You really have come a long way, Sasuke. Your training really has been fruitful. But let see if you can stop this!" Kaname held his sword downward and began focusing his energy into Dawn's Might, which started emitting a brownish-orange glow.

Sasuke knew what was coming. It was his masters strongest attack. But Sasuke had a counter to this attack. He held his sword upward and started focus more energy into Moon Cutter, which began emitting a whitish-blue light that seemed to expand the blade slightly.

The two stood still for a moment before Kaname stepped forward and Sasuke leapt up, both swinging their swords with a mighty energy slash. Kaname swung upward with a slash of both light and darkness, while Sasuke swung downward with a slash of blue light.

" **Smite of Dawn!** " shouted Kaname.

" **Crescent Divider!** " shouted Sasuke.

The attacks clashed with all their might. At first it seemed like they were even, until a tint of red started to mix in with the blue light of the Crescent Divider, which then began pushing back the Smite of Dawn. Kaname was shocked as he realized what was happening. _His attack is absorbing some of the energy of mine._

And with that there was a great explosion, the crowd was in awe of the display. When the dust settled, everyone saw Kaname kneeling on the ground after having his sword knocked out of his hand and stabbed into the ground behind him, and Sasuke standing up and point his sword up close at his master. Both of them were panting up a storm.

"You really have gotten stronger in my absence, Sasuke," the fallen warrior said with a smirk, clutching his wounded shoulder. "You sure have learned how to use Moon Cutter's power to your advantage. And to be able to repel my strongest attack is quite a feat. You make me proud to have had you as my apprentice."

"I'm glad to hear you say that, Master Kaname," Sasuke said before lowering his sword and looking down. "You know, when I found your dead body, I was a wreck. My master was dead, my mother was dead, all my friends had disappeared, and I wound up stranded on another world. I didn't know what to do. I had almost completely given up on my life." He then looked up at the sky. "But then on the world I found myself in, I met some good people who helped me pick myself up and move forward. And once I found a means to, I decided to journey through other worlds to broaden my horizons, learn some new things, and find new ways to improve on the lesson I had learned from you."

"And it seems that journey really did wonders for you."

The former apprentice look at his master in the eye. "Master Kaname, you taught me so much: how to be a swordsman, how to be a man, how to be a protector. I never knew my father; I had a hole in my heart because of it. But when you, a man who knew my father and even trained under him, took me on as your apprentice, you started to fill that emptiness I had. You were...the closest thing I had to a father. I journeyed to become the best warrior I could be...to honor your memory."

"And you've done well, my apprentice." After a short pause Kaname then said. "Say...out of curiosity, and I hope I'm not hitting too sensitive a spot, but have you ever taken a life?"

Sasuke remembered when they had this discussion before. Sasuke had almost killed a man out of revenge for poisoning his mother. Sasuke was distraught after he realized what he was doing due to him not liking the idea of taking a life. Thankfully, Kaname helped him through it, and even gave him advice about killing when he had to. "Not long after the fall of Radiant Garden, the first time I took a life...was to protect an innocent little girl, who became a very close friend in return. In fact, it was that very act that turned out to be the first step I took in a journey to regain my hope in life."

"That's all I needed to hear." Kaname had made Sasuke promise to make his first kill one to protect an innocent life. He was glad to know he kept that promise.

"That same fight was also where I got this, in case you were wondering," the ronin pointed at the scar at his right eye. "A little memento of my first fight to the death against another swordsman. Whenever I look at it, I look back at that moment to remind myself why I'm still fighting."

The master chuckled. "I'll admit, that scar does look good on you."

"Thanks."

"Most impressive, Sasuke Kazekiri."

The two look to find the other resurrected swordsman standing near them. Sasuke looked around to find Cloud lying injured against a pillar. "Cloud!" he shouted.

"He'll live," the cloaked man assured. "I'll admit, you're partner here put up a really good fight. But he's not the one I want to fight. Kaname, you had your fun with my boy. Now it's my turn."

Kaname smirked. "He's all yours...Master Yamato."

Sasuke froze the instant he heard that. "Master...Yamato?"

It was a that moment that the man finally removed his hood, revealing his neck-length black hair, blue eyes and deep horizontal scar on his right cheek. "We meet at last, my son."

"F-Father?" Sasuke had only ever seen pictures of him, but he knew it was his father, Yamato Kazekiri.

Yamato took a moment to get a good look at his son. "I must say looking at you is almost like looking at a mirror, except...you have your mother's eyes. And of course your scar is different from mine."

"I...I never in my life...believed that I would ever meet you like this."

Yamato looked down. "I'm not proud of myself for missing my chance to be a father. But it is good to know that you were left in good hands. I have already thanked Kaname for mentoring you in my stead. He told me everything that happened between my death and his."

Sasuke was silent. He just couldn't find the words. He couldn't figure out what to say to him, a father he never got to meet.

Yamato took note of his son's silence. "Speechless? I guess I shouldn't be surprised." He let out a sad chuckle. "Here I am, your dead old man, whom you've never met, standing before you. Very well. Then let's cut to the chase." He then pointed his Black Moon Cutter at Sasuke. "If you can't express your feelings with words, then perhaps you can express them with your blade. I was told that you wanted to be my legacy. But now the question is...Do you live up to it? Well, there's only one way for me to find out. Sasuke, ready your sword. Hold nothing back. Prove to me that you really are my son!"

Sasuke stood there for a moment. He finally got to meet his father, who now wanted to test how strong his son is. The ronin was hesitant at first, but the look in his eyes told him he was serious. He knew that this was an opportunity he couldn't pass up. He did not want to disappoint his own father. Taking a deep breath, Sasuke steeled himself and readied his sword. "Yes, father. I'll show you who I am; that I am worthy to be your son!"

"Then let's do this!"

With that, father and son charged at each other. The two began clashing swords, mirroring each other's movements. Both of their Moon Cutters glowed red as the simultaneously shouted, " **Counter Cutter!** " as they lock the charged blades. It seemed even at first, but Yamato got the upper hand and shoved Sasuke back. The son recovered quickly as he pulled out a Red Fang and launched a stream of fire at his father.

Yamato leapt into the air, avoiding the flames, as he raised his sword up high. The sky seemed to darken as the Black Moon Cutter glowed a yellow-orange light. He twirled the sword once, and shouted " **Raining Eclipse!** " as he swung his sword down and a unleashed a rainstorm of blades made of orange light.

Sasuke found himself rapidly dodging and blocking an onslaught of falling blades. When it died down and the sky seemed to return to normal, he jabbed the Red Fang onto is sword, infusing it with fire magic. He dash toward his father as he landed and shouted, " **Flametongue!** " as he swung this sword downward. Yamato backed away, causing the attack to hit the ground, creating a fiery explosion.

The two started another round of clashing blades, throwing in a few Sonic Waves and Counter Cutters. It was an intense battle that did a real number on the ring. But through each clash, the father and son began to connect with each other. Their feelings expressed quite clearly through their blades. After a few minutes of destruction, the two of them paused, staring at each other, panting. Sasuke was particularly exhausted, breathing very heavily. His battle with Kaname had already taken a lot out of him.

"Well..." Yamato spoke, "I have to say, I'm quite impressed. You wield my sword quite well. Heck, you've discovered ways to use Moon Cutter's power that I hadn't even thought of when I forged it."

"Can't take...all the credit," Sasuke replied between breaths. "It was... actually a sage... who gave me the idea... of absorbing magic,... and even tested it himself."

"Even still, you're work is commendable. Now," The father then raised Black Moon Cutter to the side and it started glowing a purple light. "Let's end this, shall we?" He saw his son stagger a bit. "I can see that your starting to falter. Don't tell me you're giving up, son?"

"Not a chance! I'm not done yet!" Sasuke pulled his sword back and started focusing his energy. He didn't think he had enough power to use another Cresent Divider, but he was certain he had enough for this one. A technique that was actually taught to him by a certain eidolon. His Moon Cutter began glowing a silver light. "You want to see how strong your son is! Well, I'm about to show you just what I'm made of!"

"Then come at me!"

With that the two of them dashed at each other with their charged Moon Cutters.

" **Night Oblivion!** " shouted Yamato.

" **Zantetsuken!** " shouted Sasuke.

The second their blades clashed, a blinding light filled the entire arena. The sound of a metallic break echoed in everyone's ears. When the light died down, the crowd look to see both of the swordsmen kneeling on the ground. Sasuke leaned on his sword, while Yamato just sat on this knees, with his own sword broken in two on the ground next to him. As the cheap imitation of Moon Cutter began to dissolve into black mist, the crowd began to roar with applause.

Sasuke panted as he look up to his father. "This... father... is who I am," he said. "Your living legacy."

"Well done, my son." Yamato gave a sad smile. "Look at you; a real chip off the old block. A true warrior through and through. My boy is stronger than his old man. I couldn't be any more proud of you."

Sasuke was moved by those words. "You...have no idea how much I always wanted to hear that from you."

Yamato looked down. "I really was looking forward to being a father. But fate had other plans. I missed so much of your life. I didn't get to see my little boy. I didn't get watch him grow, or to train him to become a swordsman like me. I'm so sorry, Sasuke, for leaving you and your mother all alone. I'm sorry that I chose His Lordship over my own family." A tear fell from his eye. "Never getting to see my own son, has always been my single greatest regret."

The son shook his head. "Don't apologize. You were just doing your duty. I don't blame you for that. In fact, I always admired you for it; your courage to give your own life for the greater good. You're the reason I wanted to become a swordsman."

"I am not fond of the circumstances that brought me back from the dead, but through that I was given the chance to finally see my boy, and the man he's become." Yamato smiled again. "A blessing in disguise. I have no regrets now." Suddenly, steam started to emit from his body.

Sasuke noticed. "Huh? What's happening to you?"

The fallen warrior looked at his hands, observing the steam. "It seems I've been granted the closure I needed to free myself from Hades' binds. In a few moments, I'll fade back to the dead, where I belong."

The ronin gasped at this. "You're fading?" That news pierced his heart. "But, we just finally met each other."

Yamato sighed. "Unfortunate, but this short time I have with you is good enough for me. Son, if you'll let me, before I fade, I wish to get some things off my chest."

Sasuke nodded. "Of course, Father. I have something I wish to tell you too. But you first."

Yamato took a deep breath before he began. "I was once an orphan boy living on the streets, stealing food to survive. Back then I had nothing; nothing but the worn out clothes on my back and a knife I used to cut some of the food I stole." He chuckled at his sons raised eyebrow. "Hey, I may have been a thief but I never hurt anyone. As a kid, I wasn't a big fan of the royal family. The rulers at the time sure had a bad reputation among the people. I thought they were all nothing but selfish tools who cared nothing about the people. But then one night I had observed one particular royal who was walking along the streets without an armed escort, Prince Hachirou. I had found him spending time with what looked like a gypsy woman, who I noticed had a rounded stomach. At first I thought the prince was taking advantage of her, but what I saw between them was beautiful. There wasn't any deceit coming off from the prince. He genuinely cared about her. It was surprising that a royal would choose to be with a commoner."

Sasuke listened intently. He had to admit, his father growing up as an orphan thief was pretty surprising.

The father continued. "But then two despicable men, who I later found out were members of the Insurgos, attacked them." Hearing the Insurgos again caused Sasuke to clench his fist. "One grabbed hold of the woman, berating her for sleeping with a royal, and the other beat the prince into the ground. They were aiming to kill them; both the prince _and_ the innocent commoner. And they called Lord Gorou and Lady Hanako selfish. They may have been right, but in the end they were no better. Attacking their children without getting to know them, and harming a civilian just for associating with them. Kinda hypocritical if you ask me."

 _No kidding!_ thought Sasuke.

"Anyway, I just couldn't let their cruelty slide. Acting on impulse, I took my knife and blindsided the attackers, stabbing one in the neck then throwing the knife into the other's skull." Seeing his son flinch, Yamato chuckled again. "Yeah, I killed once before I ever became a soldier, but like you it was to protect innocent lives. When the two people I saved got a good look at me, I fled the scene. I admit, I was pretty shaken up by what I did, taking a life for the first time, and two lives in one night. As a result, I got sloppy with my thieving and got busted a few days later. But to my shock, it was Prince Hachirou who bailed me out, thanking me for saving him and his wife and unborn daughter, and offered to give me a place in the castle guard, in spite of his parents' protests. I spent a few years training; turned out I was a natural with a sword. And before I knew it, I became a member of the guard. Hachirou gave me a purpose when I had nothing. He changed my perspective on the royal family, that they weren't all as selfish as I once thought. When he and his wife died in a sickness outbreak, I vowed to protect his family, particularly his brother, Ansem, and his daughter, Rimi."

Sasuke was amazed at hearing how his father got into the guard, and why Yamato was devoted to the Royal Family.

"One night during patrol duty though, I was ambushed in a dark alley by some of the Insurgos." Yamato caressed the deep scar on his cheek. "I had managed to defeat them but I was left severely injured to the point where I could hardly move. That's when a woman found me and took me to her home. She gave me healing herbs and bandaged me up. That woman was your mother, Momo. She was kind, gentle, beautiful, not to mention as optimistic as they come, and not afraid to speak her mind. I fell in love almost instantly. And before we knew it, we married."

His mother had never mentioned how they met, so hearing this surprised him.

"I then met Kaname, who had snuck into the castle on a whim and stayed hidden for hours. I knew the boy had potential the moment I laid eyes on him. When I learned about his father, Orochi's abuse of him and his mother, I didn't hesitate to help him out, and take him on as my apprentice. Kaname was an excellent student, becoming a castle guard in just three years, and at such a young age, while I had ascended to the rank of Captain. Around that time, Momo and I were expecting a son and we were both excited."

Yamato's expression saddened. "But then the Insurgos invaded the castle. Kaname, Lord Ansem, Rimi, and I were surrounded. I defeated most of them until I saw one of them, Orochi, the man I arrested for abusing Kaname, raise his sword onto Lord Ansem. I had to protect the family of the man who gave my life purpose. And so I used my own body as His Lordship's shield. I didn't even think about the life I had going for me until it was too late. I wish I had thought it through and tried something else to save him, but there was no time to think, I just acted on my first instinct. I died before I even got a chance to look at my son." Tears began pouring out of his eyes before he smiled again. "But now here I am, finally meeting you face to face, and seeing firsthand how strong you are. I couldn't be any more content."

Sasuke was touched by the entire story. He respected his father more now the ever. Seeing that he was finished Sasuke decided to tell his father what he wanted to say. "You know, growing up never knowing my father wasn't easy for me. I didn't have a man in the house that I could look up to. I was insecure. I always felt out of place with everyone else; afraid people would judge or just make fun of me for having been born without a father. I didn't believe anyone would understand me, so I distanced myself from everyone but my own mother. I spent most of my free time swinging your old kendo stick around. Mother once told how she was heartbroken after you died, but had regained hope after I was born because she knew a part of you survived within me. Even named me Sasuke _Yamato_ Kazekiri in your honor to prove that."

Yamato heart ached at knowing how his wife was effected by his death, but couldn't help but chuckle at how her sorrow was turned into happiness by one simple event. "As optimistic as I remember."

Sasuke stood up, supporting himself with his sword. "I used to hear a lot about how much of a great warrior and honorable of a man you were. I wanted to become a swordsman just like you because I felt that in doing so I would feel closer to you. It wasn't until I met Master Kaname, after defending his daughter from a bully, that I finally got a chance to pursue that calling. He made me into his apprentice, like he was one to you, and along the way he became a father figure to me, teaching me more than just how to wield a sword. Not only that, but his daughter became my very first friend, and she introduced me to two other friends as well, and we became inseparable. I became a better person thanks to them. I know what it means to protect the innocent, and those you care about. And when my master gave me your sword, Moon Cutter, I felt a much stronger connection to you."

Tears then started escaping Sasuke's eyes. "But now that I finally got to meet you, a chance I never believed I would get...I can't tell you how happy I am. Even though I found a new one in Kaname, to finally meet my real father...it's just so...liberating. And after clashing swords with you, and hearing your praise,...I feel that connection is stronger now than it ever was before. I just can't believe this meeting is short lived."

"Yeah, I wish it were longer too. But you can't get everything you want." Yamato was starting to fade as he stood up and approached his son, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Sasuke, I want you to continue the path you've chosen for yourself. My student has taught you well, and your journey has done you a lot of good. Pass on what you've learned, and continue our legacy."

"I will." The son then put his hand on his heart and bowed. "It was an honor to finally meet you."

"Right back at you." Yamato then pulling his son into his embrace for the first and last time. "And remember this, I'm proud to call you my son."

Sasuke returned the embrace. "Thank you, Father."

While hugging his father, Sasuke saw a ghostly figure emerge from the ground. One look at the ghost and he instantly recognized his mother, Momo. Momo smiled at waved at her son before sharing in the embraced. After a moment, both Yamato and Momo completely faded away. Leaving Sasuke standing there by himself, wiping the tears out of his eyes.

Kaname stood up and sheathed his sword. "It seems fate has granted the both of you a wonderful gift. Your father can rest in peace now, finally getting to know his son."

"What about you, Master?" asked Sasuke.

"Hades has used the both of our regrets to bind us to do his bidding. You released your father from his regret." The former guard captain looked down. "However, as good as it was to see you again, you are not mine."

The former apprentice looked at his master with a knowing expression. "You're talking about Kairi, aren't you."

Kaname nodded. "My daughter never came down to the Underworld, so I have known for a fact that she's still alive to this day." Sasuke couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief when he heard that. "The one thing I regretted above all else was leaving her all alone. I had been wondering how she is doing, if Keyblade Master Aqua's spell worked, if she was able to find a new world, where she could live in peace, where she could be happy. But now like your father, I've been granted another chance to see her. However, it seems fate decided to be crueler to me."

"What do you mean?"

"I assume you know about the two individuals we were brought back to kill; I sensed you listening in. He never gave us their names, only calling them Keyboy and his little Cherrytart. But he did show us an image of them. I know nothing about 'Keyboy,' but the other, 'Cherrytart'..."

"What is it?"

Kaname paused for a moment before saying, "She looks so much like her mother when we were that age."

Sasuke gasped at that. "You don't mean...!"

Kaname nodded again. "Unbelievable isn't it? Hades doesn't seem to realize it, but I was brought back from the dead...to kill my own daughter. What a twisted joke." He then chuckled a little. "Yamato has more guts than I do. Unlike him, I don't think I could bring myself to harm my own flesh and blood, even if it was for the purpose of testing their strength. If I had a choice, I'd just throw in towel and fade back to death right now. But alas, I'm bound to Hades, so I have no choice. Still, it would lift my heart if I were to see Kairi in person again, one last time. Would you believe me if I told you that apparently she has become a Keyblade wielder? I wonder how strong she's become. I'm also curious about this Keyboy. From what Hades has been implying, the boy is pretty close to my daughter."

"Sir Kaname." Cloud slowly got one knee, struggling with his injuries. "This Keyboy, does he happen to have spiky brown hair, baggy pants and oversized shoes?"

"As a matter of fact, yes."

Cloud smirked. "Just as I thought, that's Sora alright. I know him pretty well. He has a good heart. He's currently leading a group of Keyblade wielders in a fight against the traitor, Xehanort. He also has the kind of willpower you wouldn't believe a kid like him has. He's the kind of kid whom you want to believe in, no, whom you _should_ believe in."

"I see." Kaname looked at his sword. "And if he's as close to Kairi as Hades implies, then... I want to see for myself if he's worthy of my daughter. And if he proves that his will to protect her is strong enough to earn the right to possess Dawn's Might, I will be content."

Sasuke smiled. "Well, I hope it goes well."

The former master raised an eyebrow. "You're not going to stay and see Kairi?"

Sasuke looked up with a somber expression. "I can't bring myself face her...not yet at least. Plus, while her group is occupied here, someone has to keep tracking down Xehanort. Beside, I wouldn't want to intrude on a reunion between a father and daughter. It is good to know that she's alive and doing well for herself. That's good enough for now. As soon as Xehanort is defeated, I plan to return to Radiant Garden, which is currently undergoing restoration. I plan to officially join the guard, and protect my home, just like my father did..." he smirked, "just like both of my fathers did."

Kaname chuckled at that. "Glad to hear it."

The former apprentice then grew serious. "By the way, about Xehanort. On my journey, there are some things that I learned about him that I feel I should tell you, if for no other reason than to vent."

The fallen swordsman frowned. "What is it?

Sasuke took a deep breath. "First of all, I learned that he wasn't working alone. I turns out that Braig had been working with Xehanort from the beginning, even before he was found by the Guard."

Kaname raised an eyebrow. "He was? Why?"

Sasuke nodded. "Apparently he struck some kind of a deal with him for power, or something. Those injuries on his face were not from an Unversed attack. It was inflicted on him by that Keyblade wielder I told you about, Terra, when he goaded him into using the power of darkness. You see, Xehanort wanted to use Terra to..."

"...turn him into his new vessel, and he succeeded." Kaname interrupted. "Xehanort told me himself before he killed me. You were right when you told me about the resemblance."

Sasuke nodded before continuing. "But that not all Braig did. He also payed off the Insurgos to kidnap us, all to capture Kairi. And then there's the rockslide incident. We had neglected to tell you that Braig was the one who gave us the idea of treasure hunting in the Great Maw. What we didn't know was that Braig set us up." He could see his master clenching his fist in anger. "He started the rockslide, planning to snatch Kairi and leave the rest of us for dead. Obviously, that didn't go as planned, but then they casted a dark spell to block you from sensing Kairi's light to make you think she was dead." It was Sasuke's turn to clench his fist. "Master Kaname, Xehanort wanted Kairi, not only because she's a Princess of Heart, but...he also wanted to use her to get to you...to break your spirit so he could bend you to his will."

Kaname looked down. "Well...that explains what he said to me before leaving me to die. He said that if I hadn't been so strong willed, I would've been useful to him."

Sasuke gritted his teeth. "I cannot tell you how angry I was when I learned all this, and straight from that one-eyed ruffian's mouth. The pain Xehanort was trying to inflict on you and Kairi. And Braig's actions only anger me even more. Xehanort played us for fools, which is one thing, but Braig outright betrayed us, all for his own gain! And last I checked they're still working together." He then jabbed his sword into the ground in frustration. "I...I'd be lying if I said the thought of getting payback for what they did hasn't cross my mind. Don't get me wrong, I know better than to seek revenge, but if I ever see Xehanort again, or even Braig, I swear they're gonna get it!"

"Believe me, that's exactly how _I'm_ feeling right now." Kaname growled. "I'd do it myself if my time here wasn't out of my hands."

"Don't worry, Master. They are not going to get away with this. One way or another they're going to pay for what they've done. And if the Keyblade wielders don't collect their debt, I will!"

"I'm sure one of you will. Thanks for telling me this. It certainly was enlightening." Kaname smiled. "Well, I must be going. Hades is gonna want me to tell him what happened. He'll be steamed up, but he still needs me for his task, so I doubt he'll do anything to me."

"I understand. It was great to see you again, Master Kaname."

"As it was you, my apprentice." And with that, Kaname Mae walked away.

* * *

With the two Radiant Garden swordsman winning the Ares Cup, they earned the right to fight Hercules. Of course, only Sasuke wanted to fight him while Cloud was too banged up to fight. Fortunately, that match is more or less a bonus match, and therefor Cloud backing out now didn't effect Sasuke's chance. The match was going to be held tomorrow, to give Sasuke time to rest up...and the staff time to repair the damage from the last match. Sasuke and Cloud met at the Colosseum Gates.

"You sure you don't wanna stay?" asked Sasuke.

"Sorry, not interested." answered Cloud, caressing the bandages wrapped on his right arm, head and waste. "I need to report back Radiant Garden anyways. I have to get Aerith to patch these up so I get right back to fighting form. Besides, you're the one who wanted to challenge Hercules, I only tagged along for old times sake."

"I see. It was an honor to fight alongside you again."

"As it was you."

"And good luck taking down those...Remnants of Sephiroth."

"Thanks. And don't worry too much about Xehanort. I'm sure Sora has it covered. He's a lucky kid."

"Even so, I'll keep my eyes open for him."

The two exchanged a handshake before Cloud departed.

"I must say," a voice came from behind. "It's not everyday a fighter of your talent comes along."

Sasuke turn to look at the speaker and saw a rusty-haired muscular man wearing brown armor, sandals, a red headband, a blue cape, and had a broadsword strapped to his belt. Upon closer inspection, this man resembled the statue he was gazing at back at Thebes. "You must Hercules!"

The hero nodded. "And you're... Sasuke, right?"

Sasuke nodded before doing his usual hand-on-heart bow. "It's an honor to meet the hero of this land."

"The honor is all mine." Hercules held out his hand which Sasuke respectfully shook. "I was watching your matches. You did incredibly well. Especially against those two swordsmen, both of whom looked like they could give _me_ a run for my money."

"Thanks." Sasuke couldn't help but feel honored hear that coming from a legend.

"So, you excited for our match tomorrow?"

"Of course! I've been traveling very far for years, training myself to get stronger. I entered the tournament to test how strong I've gotten. And what better opponent to test myself against than a living legend."

"I see. But just so you know, I won't go easy on you."

"Hey, I'd be insulted if you did. Win or lose, I'm only interested in seeing how far I've come."

Herc smiled. "Good attitude! I've got a feeling you're gonna put up a great fight. So I'll be looking forward to this."

Sasuke smirked. "Right back at you!"

"Well, I gotta help fix up the arena, so I'll see you tomorrow!" the hero said with a wave.

"Alright. Catch you later!" The ronin gave him a casual salute.

With that Hercules walked away, leaving Sasuke to his thoughts. Everything that happened that day truly was an unforgettable experience. Seeing his master again after all these years, learning that Kairi was still alive and well, but most importantly finally meeting his own father. It all felt like a bunch of weights had lifted off his shoulder. He smiled as he looked up at the sky.

 _Father... Master Kaname... I will see to it that your legacies live on. This I promise you both!_

* * *

 **A/N: YIKES! My word count for this oneshot is OVER 9000! That, by far, has to be the most words I've ever put into a single chapter. Man that took a while to complete. I started writing this in early December. I had set myself two different deadlines for this, one for the holidays and one for Kris's birthday, but I ended up missing both of them because of how hard to write this turned out to be. Well, I finally finished it. And I hope you enjoyed it.**

 **I apologized if Sasuke's conversations with Kaname and Yamato seemed to drag out. They just seemed to write themselves for the most part, and I felt that they needed to let all that out.**

 **I know Cloud doesn't seem to have much of a role in this, but I thought Sasuke needed a partner to fight the other swordsman, as well as someone who can fill him in on current events, and I thought Cloud was the best choice.**

 **Just for fun, here are the voice actors the I picture for my OCs, the Kazekiri family:**

 **Sasuke Kazekiri = Johnny Young Bosch (Ichigo Kurosaki from "Bleach", Firion from "Final Fantasy II/Dissidia Final Fantasy[Voice]")  
** **Yamato KazeKiri = David Lodge (Jiraiya from "Naruto", Kenpachi Zaraki from "Bleach")  
** **Momo Kazekiri = Natalie Lander (Terra Branford from "Final Fantasy VI/Dissidia Final Fantasy[Voice]")  
** **Hinata Kazekiri = Stephanie Sheh (Hinata Hyūga from "Naruto", Yui from "Sword Art Online")**

 **(Q: Wait! Who's Hinata Kazekiri? / A: Read Kris's story _Kingdom Hearts 4: A New Light_ to find out.)**

 **And here Kris's headcanon voices for two of her OCs, specifically the Mae family:**

 **Kaname Mae = David Matranga (Tomoya Okazaki from "Clannad")  
** **Rimi Mae =** **Peyton McCormick (Rem Tokimiya from "Final Fantasy Type-0")**

 **Now if you'll excuse me. I need to get back to my other stories.**


End file.
